Who'd Have Thought - a McRoll in the REAL World story
by Mari217
Summary: After a long day Steve, Catherine turn an evening with no power into a new type of adventure.


_Sammy & Ilna - "A true friend accepts who you are, but also helps you become who you should be." — Unknown You make me a better person._

_Sammy's fabulous _Adapt and Overcome _inspired this one._

_REALMcRollers and Readers, Thank you all for your continuous support and feedback. Hugs._

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**Who'd Have Thought**

Catherine passed Steve a slice of pizza and grinned at Angie taking a bite of her pizza crust first. The toddler hadn't wanted it cut into bite-sized pieces, because she was a 'big girl' so Steve nodded and with a proud _that's my girl _expression cut her slice vertically to make it more manageable for little hands.

Angie then turned her pizza sideways and bit off a bigger mouthful from the sauce and mozzarella part. Both cheeks were smeared with tomato sauce and she looked so happy her parents shared a grin.

"Easy, baby girl, smaller bites, please," Catherine told her. Folding her own pizza in half she demonstrated. "It's easier to eat if you hold it like this, watch Mommy."

The two year old nodded as she chewed, resituated her hands with a little help from her daddy and said, "mmmm" about one of her favorite foods.

"Last time we had dinner down here by lantern was when that storm took out the power," Catherine commented and took a sip of her water.

"I remember there were way less clothes involved at that dinner." He ran his eyes over her purple tank top and cutoffs and smirked at his wife's nod. "That was a …" his eyes darted to Angie. "_Fun_ night."

"_Definitely_ fun." Her smirk was saucy. "Angie's hiking with Mom and Dad tomorrow morning, so before we deflate it…" she patted the air mattress they were currently seated on. "We can recreate the most fun parts."

"Now there's a plan, Lieutenant." His eyes glinted when she winked and she took another bite of her dinner.

Since their power would be out until morning, the family was seated on the large air mattress having a camp-in by lantern light. Steve had added several battery operated candles around the living room as Catherine spread a beach blanket over the mattress while they waited for their delivery.

The last thing he wanted was Angie being uncomfortable in the dark, so he showed her the lanterns and how they worked. "See, when we turn it over, it stands up by itself," he demonstrated. "Sunset's at 18:42:22," he said after checking his phone then kissed her cheek when Angie nodded while touching the lantern with both hands, playing 'peek-a-boo' with the light. When he added, "And last light's 19:04:42" as though she understood not only the concept of last light but military time, Catherine grinned.

As the sun set, both parents reminded the little girl how they were all going to sleep in the living room and have an 'adventure'. When Angie responded, "Yay, venter!" simply because her parent's voices held excitement, Catherine laughed out loud, leaned over and kissed them both.

"Yay!" She repeated and clapped. "Now let's finish our pizza and there'll be a treat later."

At the word treat, Angie said, "Cookie, Mommy?" and Cammie looked up from where she was sprawled on her bed, which they'd pushed up against the mattress.

"Peas in a pod, you, two. That's what Nonna would say," Catherine ran a hand over Cammie's head and fed her a piece of pizza crust. "Maybe a cookie," she said conspiratorially and tickled her daughter's tummy, causing a giggle. "Let's finish and see."

"Fimwish and see, Daddy," Angie said and Steve obliged by taking another slice from the box and devouring a third with one bite - the grin at his daughter's expectant expression never leaving his face.

* * *

A bit later while Steve knelt on the mattress spotting Angie as she did a few tumbles, Catherine returned from Cammie's potty break with a bowl containing cookies.

Leaning down, Steve whispered, "Look what Mommy's got," to the toddler who was busy turning upside down in the soft glow of the lanterns and candles.

As Catherine stepped onto the mattress and Cammie settled with a bone, Angie's eyes lit the second she righted herself and saw the treats. "Oooh, cookie, Daddy. See?"

"I see." He shifted over and Catherine sat against his side, handing off the bowl.

She placed a large napkin on Angie's lap as the excited little girl grabbed a shortbread cookie in one hand and a gingersnap biscuit in the other.

Steve laughed, kissing her head. "Two fisted eating, hmm?"

"That's our girl. She may have my sweet tooth, but that's your appetite, front and center."

When the cookies were finished, Steve moved off the mattress onto the floor and said, "Climb up, baby girl, we'll show Mommy how you were helping Daddy exercise."

Catherine raised a brow when he laid flat on the rug and Angie moved to sit on his back.

"Ready?" He tossed over his shoulder and the little hands gripped his t-shirt collar. "Hold on."

"Wed-dy!"

Catherine chuckled as he began doing pushups. First slowly, then with increased speed as their daughter giggled. Finally, he told the toddler to, "Hold _really_ tight." and the giggles turned to peals of laughter when the former SEAL became a human bucking bronco as he did alternating one-armed push ups to her unabashed delight.

Fifty push ups later, Catherine laughingly scooped Angie off his back and said, "Let's show Daddy what we can do, baby girl," as she flopped onto her back on the mattress, bent her legs at the knees and Angie climbed onto her mother's calves and held on, already bright eyed and smiling.

"Say, 'Go!' Angie," she prompted and when little voice echoed, "Go!" Catherine began doing leg lifts - the extra 12.5 pounds not slowing her down at all. "I was gonna show you next time we worked out together."

"Okay, that's ... " Steve shook his head as he watched his wife do exactly what he'd done, make their toddler part of her routine. "Look at us."

"Perfectly matched set," she responded without hesitation.

Smiling at Angie's laughter as he rejoined them on the mattress, he watched Catherine lower her legs so their daughter could climb off. Looking between the two he repeated, "Perfect."

* * *

When the toddler snuggled drowsily against Catherine, she hadn't reached for a second book but instead began to recite _The Tale of Peter Rabbit _while running a soothing hand in slow circles on Angie's back until she was asleep. After a couple hours of whispered conversation, she and Steve had dozed off as well. Both were tired after his case and her day of running around the island for meeting after meeting.

Hours later, Catherine opened her eyes and she felt a weight across her upper body. She and Steve rarely slept wrapped around each other no matter what position they fell asleep in. He was a back sleeper while she normally slept on her side, and they usually reverted to those positions.

She smiled to herself when, while reaching up slowly, her fingers met not Steve's arm, but her daughter's foot. Angie had shifted in her sleep until her head was towards her father while both legs were across her mother's shoulders.

Steve had woken soon after, drawn from slumber by the movement and change in his wife's breathing. Catherine could hear his low chuckle when she felt Angie's weight lift as he gently repositioned their toddler without waking her up.

Turning to face him, Catherine's eyes sparkled with mirth in the dim light and she returned the smile he was wearing. "Luckily she sleeps anywhere," she murmured, waving a finger to indicate the still sleeping two year old.

He nodded as his smile widened. "She had fun tonight."

Arching carefully over Angie's head, Catherine pecked his lips. "So did I."

"Me too," He agreed. Pausing as his expression became teasing he added, "Who'd have thought…"

Lifting her head from where it rested on her arm, Catherine raised her brow in question.

Smirking slightly, he gestured between them. "That we'd have this much fun on a mattress…"

Their smiles were as in sync as their words as each uttered, "Wearing clothes." Laughing quietly, their entwined hands resting just above Angie's sleep tousled curls, they soon joined their daughter in sleep.

#END _Thanks for reading!_

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